hARDING uNIVERSITY ALuMNI ENGLISh NEWS SuMMER 2012 SEARCY, ARKANSAS 72149-2248 VOLuME 27 From the Chair John Williams Pardon the potpourri, but this year’s col- in a new course for English and communi- The Bobbie Coleman Teaching umn features two updates and one retro- cations majors. Tentatively titled “Introduc- Forum and Student Teaching spective, each with its own title: tion to Publishing,” the class will be submit- Award ted for approval this fall and, if approved, John and Pam Go to New York, could start the following summer. It would Bobbie Coleman, who died in 2009, was or, be offered on campus as an English and a Harding English major and alumnus who How the English Department communications elective in intersession or become a legendary teacher at Searcy High Changes Course summer I of alternate years. We have an School. She possessed the combination of agreement in principle with a New York lit- knowledge, pedagogical skill, and loving erary agent to teach the course, with topics I went to New York City last March dur- concern that every parent wants for his or ranging from the history of publishing to the ing spring break in pursuit of a new class her child. Not surprisingly, Searcy High new digital world of the profession. It will for the English department and someone to has honored Bobbie with a scholarship include contributions, via video technology, teach it. My wife Pam went with me be- bearing her name. with other professionals in New York and cause the opportunity for us to visit the Big Now our English department has found Los Angeles, giving our students a practi- City is so rare — as in never, at least as a way to remember her. Last fall we initi- cal introduction from experts to a vital and a couple. The trip was quick — 48 hours ated the Bobbie Coleman Teaching Forum, rapidly changing career opportunity. — and filled with a satisfying number of an annual event bringing area secondary As I mentioned in last year’s column, if requisite Big Apple experiences: a walk teachers to campus for an informal dis- this course happens, it will be because our in Central Park, a glorious half-day in cussion of teaching and fellowship with former students have asked for it. Who MOMA, a play, late supper at Sardi’s, ce- our licensure majors. The inaugural ses- knows where it might lead? But while we’re lebrity sightings (okay, minor celebrities), sion in Cone Chapel featured four teach- dreaming, why not imagine an English or 30 Rock, a subway ride, and an argument ers from Searcy, among them Jaime Brown communications major with a publishing with a cabbie of indeterminate ethnicity and Trisha White — both HU and English licensure? (Sasha Baron Cohen in new role?). Department alums. The topic was “The Amid all that fun I managed to squeeze in First Day of Class,” and Jaime and Trish, a meeting that will, if all goes well, result along with their colleagues Sherry Farhatt and department chair Dr. Miles Watson, shared ideas, stories, and handouts on that important moment in the school year with a group of our majors. The second forum will be in October this year. We hope that for many years to come the event will help our future teach- ers catch something of Bobbie Coleman’s legacy, which is alive and well in alumni like Jaime and Trisha. To underscore our commitment to the importance of teaching at the secondary level, we have also insti- tuted a “Bobbie Coleman Student Teaching Award,” presented to the senior English li- censure major who, by virtue of his or her classroom and student teaching perfor- mance, shows outstanding promise in the Naomi Shihab Nye reads to an audience in Cone Chapel profession. The first winner of the award SUMMER 2012 English Alumni News TWO Faculty News Magicol: A Journal of the Magic History the Arkansas Philological Association and Collecting. The 2011-12 Petit Jean conference. In March, he sponsored a group was dedicated to him, and also presented of 10 creative writing students to attend the early commencement address for May the Southern Literature Festival hosted by graduation. His popular column, “Just the Lipscomb University, where the students Nick Boone reviewed The H. D. Clax,” appears regularly in The Bison. attended workshops and readings with Book, by Robert Duncan for Southern Kathy Dillion traveled with students successful authors. Humanities Review. He also had an article, to India, Morocco, and England for a class Nathan Henton and wife Alice’s “Ontological Blending and the Absence of based on the history and study of tea in world daughter, Katherine Garner was born April Autonomy in Mark Strand’s Reasons for cultures. She taught at Pepperdine in July 18, joining big sister Miley. Moving,” published in Wascana Review. and presented papers at four conferences Greg Laing attended the 47th He presented the paper “Communication including MLA and Humanities and Human International Congress on Medieval Breakdown: A Levinasian Meditation on Rights in Beirut in May 2012. At the MLA Studies where he participated in sessions Pynchon’s ‘Entropy’” at the Arkansas conference, her panel was chosen for the on “Medieval Icelandic Bishops’ Sagas,” Philological Association conference. Nick Presidential theme. It was entitled Beyond “New Voices in Anglo-Saxon Studies,” and Lauren’s (Moze) daughter, Nora Grace, the Arabian Nights: Middle Eastern Fiction “Old Norse Literature and Culture,” and was born on March 4, weighing 7 pounds in the World Literature Course. Her paper “Scandinavian Studies.” He and Kim at the time. was “The Egyptian Voice in the World welcomed daughter, Jordan Eighme, born Heath Carpenter and Hannah’s son, Literature Classroom: Teaching Si Sayed in March 2012. Thomas Alexander Jones Carpenter, was and Zaki Bey as Cultural Icons.” Jonathan Singleton published the article born May 8, 2012, joining siblings Tristan, Terry Engel presented the paper “This “The Dissonant Bible Quotation: Political Silas, and Enid. Is Our Permanent Order: Leah, Ruth May, and Narrative Dissension in Gaskell’s Mary Michael Claxton published an article Rachel, Adah”: Adah’s Search for Order Barton” in ELH. His son, Michael, was born titled “Douglas Beaufort: Would-be Through Empirical Analysis in Barbara August 13, 2011, joining big sister Lydia Diplomat” in the Nov. 2011 issue of Kingsolver’s The Poisonwood Bible” at and big brother James. The department employed three adjunct From the Chair (Cont. from One) teacheres: Lisa Burley, Holly Goslin, and Anne Harrington. was Whitney Dixon, of Searcy, who was ary texts) by inviting students from five erature. Not the most famous faces, consid- good enough in her practice teaching to get area high schools to a poetry workshop led ering our fiscally challenged department. a job offer from the same school. by Ms. Nye. In all, more than 50 students Nevertheless, a real person who creates Whitney will join other 2012 English li- came, some of whom had never visited a stands before us, who explains the origins censure graduates in the work force next college campus before, much less talked to of a story or poem, who gives voice to the fall. With their established colleagues, they a poet. The event was at least a moderate words. To see these writers perform is to will be putting their English skills and in- success and for our department, I hope, the have literature come alive. In the case of dividual gifts to the important use of minis- start of a more frequent outreach to our lo- Naomi — and her radiantly down-to-earth tering to our children — and creating their cal schools. personality almost demands the first person own legacies. At Nye’s April 12th evening reading, we here — we are in the presence of a good had our largest audience since her last vis- woman, someone whose art is also a social The Best Visiting Writer Ever? it, and once again the reception was over- act. Someone who has made poetry into whelmingly positive. Many came only for a unifying conversation between herself Naomi Shihab Nye came to Harding this extra credit, of course, but their reactions and anyone who wants to read, listen, or past spring, returning five years after her — some given in writing for their teachers respond. first visit in 2007. She joins a short list of — were gratifying. Had they not witnessed The student who thinks he hates artsy writers who have received second invita- this poetry reading, they said, they could stuff listens to her in the company of hun- tions. She also happens to be the “biggest never have believed such a thing to be so dreds of others and feels better about po- name” we’ve hosted since I’ve been a part entertaining. You must understand that the etry. The lover of poetry in her convivial of the process, whether you measure status program included meditative pieces on orbit for even that fleeting hour feels better by artistic reputation or by size of the fee. death and war and a modicum of provoca- about his belief in its power to change us. Her 2002 volume of poetry, 19 Varieties tive wisdom about those subjects, but I’ll of Gazelle, was nominated for a National settle for “entertaining” and assume the To the record number of alumni who got Book Award, and she has earned four pleasantly surprised students also intuited in touch with the English News this time, Pushcart Prizes in poetry, one of the more the wisdom. thank you very much, and God bless you prestigious awards around. You can visit In fact, the word “entertaining” and its with a community of those who cherish her page at the Steven Barclay Agency to synonyms, used by many to describe the language and literature as gifts not only see the complete list of honors.